Herbert l



April 19, 1927. H L. BOOTH WAVE MOTOR Filed Sept. 20, 1926 A TTORNE Y.

Patented Apr. i9, 1927.

lfiElCE.

HERBERT L. BOOTH, 0F BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA.

WAVE MOTOR.

Application led September 20, 1926. Serial No. 136,520.

lt. is the object ot this invention to utilize the relatively si'nall. diiierence in height between the crest and trough of waves for litt ing water to a relatively high elevation, and more particularly to connect a series ot' rescrvoirs and arrange the same at succeedinghigher elevations so that a partial vacuum created at each transition from the crest to the trough ol a wave will correspondingly `lift a column oi" water from each reservoir to the next higher one.

It is a further object of the invention to store the relatively small column of water which is thus elevated from one reservoir to another, in order to provide a water supply of required capacity and at a suitable elevation whereby 'the supply will provide a sui'licient water head for operating a turbine or other power converting medium.

It is a still further object ol the inven tion to provide an extremely simple construction comprising a plurality of interchangeable reservoir units adapted for superimposed assembly in any number, so that succeeding partial vacuum resulting from the lowering ot' the water level from the crest to the trough ot successive waves will lift water from each of the reservoir units to the next higher unit and thereby discharge water at the desired elevation at each wave interval.

Further objects el the invention will be readily understood from the following description of the .ucoinpanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic elevation oi the invention in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a detail elevation, partly in axial section, showing next adjacent units of 'the superimposed assembly.

The invention is preferably embodied in a suitable tower 1 which is erected on a beach A at tide water, the location being one where the ground rises sharply from the beach to form a cliff B. A s'tandpipe 2 is mounted in the tower and is open at its lower end below the surface oit' the water at low tide; and a pipe 8 which communicates with the upper end ci the standpipe leads to a suitable storage reservoir 4L which is preterably built on the cli" B. The water which is elevated in the standpipe is discharged by gravity to the storage reservoir, the elevation ot which is adapted to provide a head of water for power development; and as an instance ot this arrangement a discharge pipe 5 ifor the water supply accumulating` in the reservoir, may lead to a suitable turbine G which is at such a lower level that the head ot water in the discharge pipe will develop the necessary power for operating the turbine.

`Water is lifted to the upper end of standpipe 2 by the difference in level between the crest and trough of waves which enter the open lower end of the standpipe, said dit ference in the water level with each succeed ing wave, being adapted to create a partial vacuum in the standpipe which is utilized to litt a column of water in successive stages.

`For this purpose pipes 10 branch from the standpipe at points vertically spaced a distance somewhat less than the. minimum dil-` 'erence between 'the crest and trough of the waves; and these branch pipes extend downwardly so that their length is at least equal to the maximum difference between the crest and trough of the waves, with the ends ot' the branch pipes opening into a series of relatively small reservoirs 11 which are vertically spaced similarly to the spacing of the connections between the branch pipes and the standpipe. A pipe l2 opens from each of the branch pipes at a level adapted for gravity discharge into the reservoir 1l for the next upper branch pipe, and by suit able valvular controls the successive partial vacuums created in the standpipe by the rise and fall oit' the waves, is adapted to lift water in the branch pipes from their respective reservoirs ll, and discharge the water through pipes 12 into the next upper;l reservoirs.

For this purpose the standpipe 2, at every point along its length, is of a cross-sectional area at least equal to the combined cross-sectional areas of all of the branch pipes l0 above said point, in order that a partial vacuum created in the standpipe will form a partial vacuum ot approximately corresponding length in each ot the branch pipes; and the upper end of the standpipe is provided with an outwardly opening relief valve 13, while each of the branch pipes l() is provided with an upwardly opening check valve 14 below the pipe l2, and each ot the pipes l2 has a check valve l5 opening in the direction of discharge into reservoir l1.

By this arrangement the rise of water in the lower submerged end of the standpipe as a result of transition from the trough to the crest ci a wave, will expel air from the clevates water from reservoirs 11 into Athe respective branch pipes 10, so that the level ot the water is above discharge pipes 12, and

Vthe next succeeding rise oi the water in the standpipe destroys the partial vacuum7 so that the' water in the branch pipes above the discharge pipes 12 is discharged through the v`discharge pipes into the vnext upper V reservoir, the check valves 14 preventing re-V turn flow to the reservoirs from which the water has been lifted. y

One or more Vof the reservoirs 11 at the lower end ot the' stan'dpipe 'areadaptledfor continuous submergence irrespective 'of the tide, in order to continuously 'supply waterl 'to' the mechanism, yand the column of water` which is e'levated'froin onefreservoirito another, is finally discharged through'pipe 3 which isconnected to the discharge' pipe `12r of the uppermost branch pipe. c

I have thus provided extremely simple means for utilizing the difference in water level between the c'iest and" trough of waves, for lifting water from each of a series of superimposed reservoirs to the next higher reservoir, ythe construction being entirelyA automaticin its action' and providing a lifting action at each successive wave.

I claim:

1.VA A device of the character describedl comprising conduits at sucessively ,higher eleva-4 level of Vthe body or' water,` means for lifting liquid'in each of said'coiiduitsby `said vacuum, and means for automatically discharging the elevated liquid trom each ofsaid conduits intothe n i-:t higher conduit'when the water level rises and closing the standthe vacuum is destroyed.

2. A device of the characterdescribed comprising a standpipe yopen at its lower end into a body olf` vwater having va periodic natural change in 'the level thereol entering v the standpipe, means for automatically opening'the standpipeA to the atmosphere ifvfhen the liquid level'rises and closing said standpipe tothe atn'iosphere when the liquid level is lowered so as to alternately destroy and create a vacuum in the standpipe, and a branch pipe con'iniunicatiiig with `and depending trom the standpipe, said branch pipe opening into a body ot liquid and having means 'tor elevating the liquid by the vacuum and discliargingthe elevated liquid when the vacuum is destroyed.

3. A device ot the character described comprising a standpipe open at its lower end into a body of `water having a periodic 'natural change in the level thereof entering the standpipe, means for automatically opening the'standpipeto the atmosphere when the liquid level rises and closing said stand- -pipe 'to the atmosphere when the water level recedes so as to alternately destroy and create a vacuum in the staiidpipe, a branch pipe con'imunicating with and depending from'tlie standpipe, a reservoir having the branch pipe opening into and submerged in the liquid vin the reservoir, and an upwardly open'i'iig'checlr valve in the branch pipe permitting elevation ot liquid from the reservoir by said vacuum but preventing reverse flow of the liquid when the vacuumis destroyed.

4. A device ofl the character described comprisingV a standpipe open at its lower fend' into a body of'water having a periodic 4natural change in the level lthereof entering the standp`ipe,` 4meansfor automaticallyop'e-n ingthestand'pipe to lthe' latmosphere when the water level rises and closing saidstand-A y pipe to the atmosphere when the water level recedesV vso as tov alternately destroy and vcreate a vacuum in the standpipe, a Ybranch pipe communicating with and' depending from the stand'pipe, a liquid reservoir havinor ithebranch pipe opening into and submerge in the yliquid'iin the reservoir, an .upwardly opening'clieck valve in tliebranch pipe permitting elevation ot liquid fromthe reservoir by said vacuum but preventing reverse low of the liquid4 when the vacuum is desti'oyed, a discharge from the branchfpipe above the check valve, and a check valvein 2the discharge permitting discharge of the elevated liquid when the-vacuum is destroyed, but closing against reverse flow when the vacuum is created. y

5. A device of the character described coinprising a standpipe open at its lower end into a body of water having a periodic natural change in the level thereof entering' the standpipe, means for autom aticallyopening the standpipe to the.I atmosphere when pipe to the atmosphere when the water level recedes so to alternately destroyand create a vacuum in the standpipe, a series ot' branch pipes communicating with and "depending vifrointhestandpipe at verticallyspaced intervals, liquid reservoirs ativerticallyA spaced l into a body of Water having a periodic natural change in the level thereof entering the standpipe, means for automatically opening the standpipe to the atmosphere When the Water level rises and closing the standpipe to the atmosphere when the Water level recedes so as to alternately destroy and create a vacuum in the standpipe, a series of branch pipes communicating with and depending from the standpipe at vertically spaced intervals7 liquid reservoirs at vertically spaced intervals having the respective branch pipes opening into and submerged in the liquid in the reservoirs, the standpipe being of a cross-sectional area at every point along its length at least equal to the combined cross-sectional area of all of the branch pipes communicating with the standpipe thereabove7 whereby the vacuum created in the standpipe creates a corresponding vacuum in each of the branch pipes so that the liquid is elevated from the respective reservoirs into their corresponding branch pipes when the vacuum is created, and means for discharging the elevatediI liquid from each of the branch pipes into the next higher reservoir when the vacuum is destroyed.

In testimony whereof I have aixed my sign ature.

` HERBERT L. BOOTH. 

